


Who's the Bully Now?

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-09
Updated: 2008-02-09
Packaged: 2019-01-19 16:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12413670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: "I HATE you, James Potter!" Lily snatched the ruined photo from James' grasp, and for a split of a moment, she nearly hit him. James stood stock still, shocked into motionlessness as she stormed out of the Head's Dorms."I'm sorry," he whispered, looking down into his empty palms. What he meant to say was 'I love you,' But she was ...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

"I HATE you, James Potter!" Lily snatched the ruined photo from James' grasp, and for a split of a moment, she nearly hit him. James stood stock still, shocked into motionlessness as she stormed out of the Head's Dorms.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, looking down into his empty palms. What he meant to say was 'I love you,' But she was gone.

\---

Lily kissed her mum goodbye quickly before stumbling off toward the Hogwarts Express, struggling to balance her many belongings while trying not to break her concentration on the spell that was holding up her large trunk behind her. This summer had been quite miserable, with her sister's increasing animosity toward her and her new bloody boyfriend always traipsing around the house. If that wasn't enough, her father had taken up a new job that involved traveling to Australia for absurd amounts of time; she'd hardly seen him for a week all summer, and Severus had finally given up all attempts of making amends with her.

She wasn't so sure of why that last thing bothered her so much. She had made the decision their fifth year that he'd gone too far, he was becoming somebody that she loathed. He wasn't her friend Sev anymore, the one who used to play with her when she was little, the one who cried about his parents. He was a dirty, hateful prat who enjoyed inflicting pain on others. However, he had _still_ come to her house every so often, asked her parents if she was around, even owled her birthday gifts, at least up until a few months ago. This past summer, she hadn't heard a word from him. She'd even casually walked past Spinner's End on a few occasions to see if he even still lived there, but couldn't tell.

_Not that I even give a rat's arse about the toe-rag,_ she reminded herself sternly as she walked through the train, searching for her best friend, Mary Macdonald. She wanted to see where her friend was sitting before she had to go off to the Prefect meeting. Lily's stomach gave a nervous flutter as she remembered her new position: Head Girl. She'd wanted this her entire Hogwarts tenure, but now that it was imminent she was nervous about what to do. What if they don't want to listen to me? What if the Head Boy doesn't like me? Several unpleasant scenarios flashed through her mind as she tried to calm her nerves and focus on finding the correct cabin. Finally, she spotted Mary's curly dark mass of hair, quickly followed by her freckled, blue-eyed face.

\---

James was already celebrating raucously when Remus spotted him, Sirius and Peter holed up in their seats upon the Hogwarts Express. He smiled widely at the sight of his friends, plucky as ever despite the world around them. Remus had been so excited to get back to Hogwarts and see his friends regularly again; The summer had gone along fine enough, but his transformations had been lonely and particularly rough and though they visited one another often, he hadn't seen any of his best mates in a few weeks as his family had gone off on holiday to France.

"What are you three going on about?" He asked, plopping his bags down on the ground and grinning widely at his friends, who looked rather ridiculous flouncing around giddily.

"Moony!" He wasn't sure who yelled out first but in a moment he was attacked quite barbariously by a certain ecstatic, messy-haired wizard. James hugged his friend so tightly for a moment he could have sworn the boy broke his rib, but quickly let go.

"I got Head Boy!" James managed, still grinning goofily. "Can you believe it, Moony? _Me?_ James bloody Potter." He shook his head as though he were still disbelieving of this miracle.

"Are you yanking my wand?" Remus managed a smile for his friend to show he was joking, as he noticed a shockingly shining Head Boy badge gleaming on James' chest. Remus was happy for him. Really. But he still couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. He knew he deserved to be Head Boy more than anyone. _But I can't_ , he told himself, furious at himself for feeling jealousy toward one of his best mates.

"I'm happy for you Prongs. That's incredible!"

\---

Lily took a deep breath, willing her hands to stop wringing through her robes anxiously. _I can do this,_ she repeated for the umpteenth time. She'd been thinking that very sentence over and over again as a mantra since she left her friends. She took one final deep breath, and pushed open the door.

There were several unfamiliar faces as well as a few she recognised. None of them were facing her, though. There was someone who seemed to be monopolising all of the attention. He was a bit taller than most of the others, and had messy dark hair...

"Potter?" Lily gasped in a cold fury. Her eyebrows snapped together, "What are you _doing-"_ the question died on her lips as she noticed the gleaming badge on his chest. This was impossible. She felt angry tears springing to her eyes and took a deep calming breath.

"Evans!" Potter looked disgustingly cheerful as he walked over to her, grin spreading across his face. "Fancy seeing you here. Head Girl, eh? Can you believe they made me Head Boy? Out of everyone they could have chosen..."

"No." Lily managed shakily. "I can't."

James' face fell minutely. "Evans," He said in an undertone, coming uncomfortably close to her. "Just work with me, just for the meeting... _please."_ Lily took a step backwards, astounded by the pleading note in his voice. It was a bizarre thing coming from Potter.

"Fine," she managed, not sure what he was playing at. She could do this. She was the mature one, right?

\---

Lily collapsed onto her four-poster bed, having just finished putting away all of her belongings. She let out a sigh, staring at the ceiling.

"I mean, I love Professor Dumbledore, but how could he possibly put me and Potter as Head Girl and Boy? Is this some sort of joke?"

Mary shook her head and shrugged. She'd been listening to this kind of ranting since Lily had returned from her meeting. She could probably write a novel on Potter's every movement and word, from everything Lily had said.

"I dunno, Lils. Maybe Potter's grown up a bit. I mean, he's of age, some boys just take a little longer to mature," she said mildly, throwing a pair of socks into her drawer. "Besides, you should give him a chance, he's not _that_ horrible--"

Lily interrupted her friend with a scoff, "Mary! Whose side are you on, anyway?" She picked up her pillow and threw it in the general direction of her friend, not bothering to look at her target.

"You missed." Mary giggled, throwing the pillow back at Lily so that it landed right on her head.

"Hey!" Lily couldn't help but laugh herself, and soon they were in an all-out pillow fight

\---

"What's wrong, mate? You're acting all mopey." Sirius flung himself onto James' bed, sending him flying a few centimetres in the air.

"Lily hates me," James moaned, falling onto his back so that he was staring up at the ceiling. He pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ward off an impending headache.

"You're just realising this _now?"_ Sirius teased, standing up again. James said nothing, and Sirius sighed dramatically. "C'mon, Prongs; forget about her." He quickly changed his train of thought at the infuriated look James shot at him, "let's think of a fantastic prank to start the year... like really all out. That is, if your still up for it, being the all-important Head Boy and all."

James sat up again and looked ready to retort, but he let out a sigh and gave his friend a lop-sided grin- halfhearted, but a start. "Abso-bloody-lutely."

 

* * *

This is just a start, but I have it all planned out, and it gets more exciting, I promise! please review!


	2. Starting Off With a Bang

Last chapter: "let's think of a fantastic prank to start the year... like really all out. That is, if your still up for it, being the all-important Head Boy and all." 

James sat up again and looked ready to retort, but he let out a sigh and gave his friend a lop-sided grin - halfhearted, but a start. "Abso-bloody-lutely."

* * *

 

Lily was startled awake by a loud, whiplike crack. She opened one bleary green eye, groggy. Another loud noise. Her eyes snapped open quickly now, and she threw her blankets off.

"Mary?" She whispered. "You awake? D'you hear that?" There was a long pause, then another sound, this time it was more like several popping sounds. It sounded like...

She grabbed her wand off her nightstand and floated across the room. She was just about to touch the doorknob when there was another loud crack. She jumped, stumbling backwards a step, before promptly rolling her eyes at her own jumpiness. She made another try for the doorknob, this time turning it quickly and pulling it open.

CRACK.

Lily jumped back again, before coming to her senses. Now that the door was open it was much, much louder.

"Lily? What the bloody hell was- WOAH, fireworks!" Mary apparently had woken up in the time that it had taken Lily to get to the door, and was now sliding past Lily in order to poke her head out into the hallway and get a better look. By this point, they were not the only ones awake. It seemed that every Gryffindor girl was awake. Alice Crabbe and Heather Davis joined Lily and Mary at the door frame. Angela White, however, remained in her bed, sleeping soundly. Mary always said the girl could sleep through anything after she'd accidentally blown up a goblet she'd been attempting to transfigure, only to look up and see Angela still asleep.

Most everone seemed to find all of this very funny - neat, even. At least, everyone except Lily. She knew that there were only four Gryffindor boys capable of doing so much damage in their first night of school. And one of them was _supposed_ to be the responsible Head Boy. She pushed past Mary and stormed down the hallway, not caring that she was still wearing her pink nightgown, or that she was brandishing her wand like some psychotic, frilly barbie doll hellbent on vengeance.

She flew down the stairs into the common room, where the fireworks were going off in a frenzied display of colours, and in large, red and gold sparkling letters, it read 'Welcome back Gryffindor!' But she was too irate to notice any of this as she headed toward the staircase leading to the boys' dormitories. Though if a boy attempted to go up the girls' staircase, he wouldn't make it very far before sliding down the stars, apparently the founders didn't find such precautions necessary in the boys' stairs. Perhaps that wasn't so good, as Lily flew up the stairs, ignoring the scandalised looks of younger students and headed straight toward the seventh year boys' dormitories. She banged on the door twice, before shoving it open.

Frank Longbottom was the first to notice her, and he lunged into the bathroom, embarrased at his scarcely-clad figure. Tyler Johnson, who had been talking to Frank as he made his wild jump for the bathroom, looked around to see Lily, and blushed slightly through his dark skin.

"Er, hello Lily?"

Lily suddenly felt her cheeks heat up as she realised how rash she was being. She just ran into the boys' dormitories, for Merlin's sake!

"Er, hello Tyler... Where is -- BLACK! _Where_ is Potter?" She had spotted Sirius Black, standing lazily near his drawer, holding a solitary grey sock in his hand, and - unfortunately for Lily, who was growing more embarrassed by the moment - shirtless.

"Oh Lily dear, lovely to see you here, but isn't it a bit early for-"

"BLACK! Where _is_ that big-headed prat, and why don't you put on a shirt, for Merlin's sake?" Sirius was quite a well-formed individual, and she didn't like that distraction while she was attempting to yell at him. She was thankful for her fury, however, which was returning quickly.

"Sorry sweetheart, but it was _you_ who came up here while I was attempting- _innocently -_ to get dressed." He held up his sock defensively. "But if you must know, he's down in the common room, admiring our handiwork with Remus. Now if you'll excuse me..." He shot Lily a charming grin, and then turned toward a lump in the bed to his other side. "OI! Wormtail, have you seen my other sock?"

\---

"This was brilliant, Moony. Fantastic idea, the fireworks!" James ran a hand through his wild locks absently as he watched a firework chase a second-year boy across the common room before exploding near his left ear - that had been James' doing, the ones that chased people. Sirius particularly got a kick out of it.

"Thanks, Prongs. I thought it would be a good way to start off the year with a _bang_ ," He chuckled at his corny joke. "Uh-oh, Lily at ten O'clock," he muttered, gesturing across the room. James groaned, but Evans seemed to not notice them, as she flew up the stairs, looking irate.

"She must be spitting tacks," James snorted, wondering when she'd realise he wasn't up there. Remus nodded in silent agreement. They watched their lovely mini-prank with the same sort of expression a father might wear while watching his child ride a broom for the first time. Of course, this was nowhere near the first time. Indeed, James hardly even considered this a prank. It didn't involve dungbombs, fizzing whizbees or even stinkpellets, and nobody was screaming. It was more a decoration for their homecoming.

Soon enough, Evans came flying down the stairs, more furious than before, and blushing slightly. She stopped about a metre in front of him, hands on hips, her wand gripped firmly in her right hand.

"What is _wrong_ with you, Potter!"

"Aw, Evans, you were playing so nice yesterday, what's got you now?"

"Use your loaf, Potter, _look_ at this mess! You're supposed to be Head Boy!"

"Oh! Right, this. This, Evans, is what I call a celebration! Isn't it lovely - Are you going to hex me?" He sniggered, as Evans had raised her wand threateningly, shaking in fury.

"I'm telling Professor McGonagall. This is ridiculous." She took a deep breath, shot a glare at Remus for good measure, and then stalked back toward the girls' dormitories again. James rolled his eyes.

"Nice dress, Evans!" He called in a sing-song voice as she broke into a run up the staircase.

\---

"So what'd she say?" Mary asked, pushing her lunch around on her plate. Lily had just returned from a chat with McGonagall, and from the scandalised look she wore, it seemed safe to guess that it didn't go quite as planned.

"She said it was a good idea. Harmless. Can you believe that? Is the entire school going absolutely _mad?_ " She stabbed a piece of meat rather savagely, before popping it in her mouth. Mary shrugged, not sure if Lily had finished her rant. Usually her friend wasn't really in a state to listen to others when she was in one of these fits, and she'd learned that shrugging and nodding occaisionally was the safest way to go.

"She said she'd talk to him, though," Lily finally admitted, grudgingly reassured by this fact, and then went silent again, eating with a fervour that she usually didn't have. Mary watched her friend, skeptical.

"That's not all you're sour about, is it?" She prodded, knowing she was heading in the right direction from the expression Lily gave her. She begain pulling her biscuit apart, wondering what could possibly be worse for Lily than McGonagall being in agreement with Potter. Lily was about to stuff another bite in her mouth, and Mary shot her a look. "C'mon Lils, tell me what she said to get you in such a state, how bad can it really be?"

Lily dropped her fork on her plate and washed down what was in her mouth with a sip of pumpkin juice. "She showed me the Head's dormitories - they're gorgeous, two rooms, a common room and a bathroom." She said, looking down at her plate.

"But?" Mary prodded, curious as to what could possibly be so horrible about having your own dormitories to yourself.

"She said that Potter and I have to learn to get along, if we want to keep our positions..." She sighed, "And thought it would be a brilliant idea to shove us into the same dormitories for the next _three weeks._ " The last part of her sentence came out as an angry growl. "I'd rather live in a pit of lions, or a bull pen!" She snapped. She knew that she wouldn't be able to handle living in the Head's dormitories, with Potter. She'd kill him, or herself.

"Wait..." Mary said slowly, needing clarification of what she thought she'd just heard. "You have to stay in those dormitories, and Potter does, for the _next three weeks_?"

Somewhere down at the other end of the table, she heard raucous laughter and excessive giddiness from a certain four boys, and eyed Lily worriedly.

 


End file.
